Electrical submersible pumps (ESP) fail operated variable frequency drives (VFDs) have a reduced run life as opposed to operation on a direct switch board on cause cessation of production operations necessary to retrieve, remove and replace a failed ESP. The switch board is also referred to in the industry as an “across the line starter”. The industry average of run life for an ESP is over 4 years, whereas the operation of an ESP on a VFD is less than 2 years.